Loving someone with an addiction

Substance addiction is a pervasive problem which affects men and women across the country. Between 2015 and 2016 around 300,000 people reached out to drug and alcohol services. Half of these involved alcohol.

Behind every person suffering from addiction, there are family members and partners who are suffering too, often dealing with anxiety isolation and even abuse at the hands of their partner.

Mental Health experts agree that one of the most persistent effects of having a relationship with someone suffering from addiction is feeling under-valued, insecure and alone. Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Behavioural addictions specialist at Nightingale Hospital, explains that when someone is addicted to a substance they often don’t have the mental space to properly care for their partner.